MA TRIX 



® 



fk 



''' \^^ 



<2^. 



'^ 



.\ 



CARTILAGE 

 CELL 



CAPSULE 



(V^ 



y 



v/ 



.,/- 



5^.3 



LACUNA 



-X' 





Fig. 96. — The appearance of cartilage under the microscope. Under suitable con- 

 ditions the matrix can be shown to consist in large part of closely compressed 

 fibres. Like bone, cartilage is a form of connective tissue. 



LACUNA CONTAINING 

 BONE CELLS 



LAMELLAE 



HAVERSIAN CANAL 

 CONTAINING BLOOD 

 VESSELS 



Fig. 97. — A very thin sheet of dried bone under a low power of the microscope. 

 When bone is alive the lacunae contain living bone cells. The lacunae communicate 

 by means of fine canals with the blood vessels that traverse the Haversian canals; 

 they in turn communicate with the general circulation of the body. 



